Jan 14, 2008 — Arab-Americans are never far from the headlines, so they're playing it for laughs. 

Jan 8, 2008 — With its largest roster yet and a week worth of killer shows scheduled, this formerly one-time-only event has turned into one of the most anticipated yearly comedy showcases. PunchlineMagazine.com talks to festival co-founder and comedian Dean Obeidallah. 

Nov 27, 2006 — Comedians from around the United States came to New York recently [Nov. 14-19] for the fourth annual Arab-American Comedy Festival. The event featured six nights of stand-up comedy, films and theater pieces satirizing everything from U.S. homeland security and President Bush, to sex and religion, to Arab politics and family life.  

Nov 21, 2006 — "For those of you who don't know me, I am a Palestinian-Muslim virgin with cerebral palsy from New Jersey," Ms. Zayid, 30, told the packed house recently at the Gotham Comedy Club in Chelsea at the fourth annual Arab-American Comedy Festival. Women and men alike howled as she made raunchy jokes about the trials and tribulations of menstruation and sex for a Muslim woman. They chuckled when she talked about her father's resemblance to Saddam Hussein. "When they hang Saddam, I'm going to be like, 'Daddy!' " she said. 

Nov 20, 2006 — The performers are reaching out and bringing their culture and talents into the American mainstream as other ethnic groups have done by playing up idiosyncrasies, showing off writing skills and performance techniques. The festival's content has evolved, Obeidallah said, "from being under siege to affirmatively defining who we are and not being afraid of making fun of American policies or American pop culture."  

Nov 20, 2006 — The fourth annual New York Arab-American Comedy Festival featured stand-ups taking aim at everything from racist stereotypes to politics to government profiling. The six-night event, which kicked off last Tuesday at Gotham Comedy Club, showed off the talents of 30 comedians. "Where are my Arab-Americans at?" asked host Pete Dominick. "Where's Homeland Security? Show yourself! I love that I was the first guy to make that joke." 

Nov 17, 2006 — At the 4th Annual New York Arab-American Comedy Festival this week, everything from airport security measures to traditionally minded parents provided material for jokes. Dean Obeidallah is a co-founder of the festival. "More people would rather fly with snakes on a plane than Middle Eastern people in this country." 

Nov 16, 2006 — Aron Kader, one of the leading names in the festival who normally plies his trade at Los Angeles' Comedy Store, is one of those willing to squarely tackle the whole question of Islamic extremism in his set. "If I were to have a child and if he's a boy, I'm definitely gonna name him Al. Al Kader," joked the 32-year-old, who says he has to thank his Palestinian father and Mormon US mother for giving him so many reasons to be a comedian. 

Nov 15, 2006 — NEW YORK—Arab-Americans are finding that a little laughter can help overcome the hurt caused by the misconceptions and suspicions they have encountered since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. At the 4th Annual New York Arab-American Comedy Festival, which kicked off Tuesday, everything from airport security measures to traditionally-minded parents provided material for jokes. 

Nov 14, 2006 — Obeidallah said that through lampooning the racial stereotypes that have plagued Arab-Americans since the deadly 2001 attacks, comedians are able to not only ease tension but also challenge individual's concepts of their culture. "The humor in the beginning was, and now I'm paraphrasing: 'Don't beat us up, don't hurt us, we're not terrorists,'" Obeidallah told the Christian Science Monitor. "That's still there, but on a lesser note. Now we're much more challenging and confident." 

Nov 14, 2006 — Tuesday, the fourth Arab-American Comedy Festival opens in New York. It was started by Obeidallah and a friend in 2003 as a way to showcase Arab-American talent and deal with the sudden sense, in Obeidallah's words, "of being under siege." Since then, it's grown and spawned other ventures. In December, Comedy Central will première on its Internet site "Watch List," a night of Arab-American stand-up humor.  

Nov 13, 2006 — Even The Daily Show, which is dominated on-air and behind the scenes by white men, has begun featuring reports by the Muslim actor Aasif Mandvi. (Granted, he’s from India, but beggars can’t be choosers.) So three years ago, Obeidallah and the Palestinian-American Maysoon Zayid co-created the New York Arab-American Comedy Festival, which kicks off this year’s edition tomorrow with an evening of stand-up at Gotham Comedy Club in Chelsea. 

Nov 10, 2006 — One anticipated sketch is a follow-up to the 2005 "How to Be an Arab in Five Easy Lessons" (which included tips like "Wear a shirt with four buttons open and a gold chain"). The new skit is "How to Be an American in Five Easy Lessons," hosted by two naive Arab immigrants who aren't so familiar with the pop culture of their new home. A more pointed political sketch is a commercial parody for free phone calls to the Middle East. There's a catch & the sponsor is the Department of Homeland Security. 

Nov 9, 2006 — “On September 10, I went to bed a white guy,” says comedian Dean Obeidallah, “and woke up the next morning an Arab.” Obeidallah is a coproducer of the fourth annual New York Arab-American Comedy Festival, whose biggest year yet kicks off Tuesday 14, lasting for six nights. In 2003, along with comedian and actor Maysoon Zayid, Obeidallah founded the festival under the belief that showcasing Arab-American comics together is the best way to challenge stereotypes and get attention—and not just from the government.  

May 30, 2006 — NRC Handelsblad is the Netherland's leading newspaper. We don't have a clue what this article says as none of us read Dutch. We therefore plan to make up some great "translated" quotes from it for this November's new poster series!  

Feb 1, 2006 — Any Arab who has watched a few movies in their time knows that their people and Tinsel Town have a few things to work out. With no shortage of caricatures, stereotypes, and other negative portrayals flickering across cinema screens year after year, it was high time someone did something proactive. The New York Arab-American Comedy Festival, which held its third annual event in Manhattan last November to sold out crowds, took the Festival on the road to the industry's front door -- Hollywood, Los Angeles. 

Jan 26, 2006 — An Arab-American couple kisses on a train when they suddenly spot four suspicious Arabs - with odd luggage and argyle knit sweaters. Should they report them as terrorists? "Who has blueberry luggage?" whispers Renee, clutching her fiance, George. "Gay terrorists. Oh, my God ... There's just no safe way to travel." The joke, as told during the debut of the New York Arab-American Comedy Festival in Los Angeles this week, is bold, edgy and self-effacing. And 100 percent Arab-American. 

Jan 25, 2006 — Angelenos appeared eager to catch their first glimpse of the Festival, which recently held its third annual event in New York. The plays take a humorous slant on political topics such as terrorism and Western stereotypes of Arabs. Others serve as primers of Arabian culture as seen by Generation X Arab-Americans, including issues with demanding, out-of-touch parents; Arabian music; and gaudy Arab fashion.  

Jan 21, 2006 — TINLEY PARK, Ill. - When Azhar Usman walks down the street, he gets dirty looks. "People are looking like I was responsible for 9-11," the comedian tells the crowd recently in this Chicago suburb. "Me 9-11? 7-Eleven, maybe. "It's gotten so bad," he continues in an act full of comic pauses, "that I want to stop people in the street and say look, relax, John, Bob. I'm a Muslim, but I'm an American Muslim. That's right, I consider myself a very patriotic American Muslim, which means I would die for my country. By blowing myself up. Inside a Dunkin' Donuts." 

Jan 19, 2006 — Since 2003, the New York Arab American Comedy Festival has been trying to improve relations and dispel stereotypes by showcasing hilarious writers and comics of Middle Eastern descent. Tony Shalhoub, Kathy Najimy, Jamie Farr – yeah, that’s right: You’ve even heard of some of ’em. Tuesday through tomorrow, Jan. 26, the NYAACF makes its first appearance outside the Big Apple by visiting our own Middle Easterner-heavy town.  

Jan 19, 2006 — As a comedian who co-founded the New York Arab-American Comedy Festival, Dean Obeidallah feels successful whenever the terms "terrorist," "gunman" or "militant" are not used in a news story about Arabs. "It's a struggle," says Obeidallah, who's bringing the festival to L.A. for the first time, beginning Tuesday. "It's not often you see the word 'Arab' and the word 'funny' in the same story."  

Nov 30, 2005 — Obeidallah had been working in stand-up for nearly a decade, but after 9/11, an Arab comic seemed like a novelty, and his career picked up. The same was true of Maysoon Zayid, a fellow Palestinian comic raised in Cliffside Park. "Dean and I were getting all this publicity, and we were like, there are so many other talented people, how can we get them to be seen, too?" says the twenty-something Zayid. They founded the New York Arab-American Comedy Festival, which recently celebrated its third year.  

Nov 18, 2005 — It's been said that comedy is tragedy plus time. That may be especially true for Arab-American comics. The four years since September 11th, 2001, have been difficult for Arabs living in the United States. And they're providing plenty of material for the Arab-American Comedy Festival that ran this week in New York City. The World's Athena Desai reports. 

Nov 17, 2005 — Did you hear the one about the Arab and the camel trader's daughter? Probably not. But you might someday. Some Arab-Americans have discovered a way to make their ethnic group more acceptable to other Americans -- through humor. That's a wonderful approach, and one with rich possibilities. Anyone acquainted with members of Topeka's Muslim community knows that many of them have a wonderful sense of humor. 

Nov 17, 2005 — Suicide bombings and comedy make an uneasy alliance, but in the hands of a small group of Arab-American comics the mixture can be an effective tool for shattering stereotyped views of their community. "I'm Palestinian. Do not be alarmed! That ticking is just my biological clock," Suheir Hammad, a poet and artist from Brooklyn, told an audience at the third annual Arab-American Comedy festival in New York last week. 

Nov 16, 2005 — Arab American comics are performing before sold-out crowds at the 2005 New York Arab-American Comedy Festival. The festival, which runs Nov. 13th – 17th, showcases the talents of Arab-American actors, comics, playwrights and filmmakers. We play some of the stand-up performances from the festival and speak with the co-founder Dean Obeidallah as well as Hend Ayoub, a Palestinian actress who stars in the new film “Private”. 

Nov 16, 2005 — DEAN OBEIDALLAH, ARAB-AMERICAN COMEDIAN: Pundits have said Arabs are the new blacks. They've said, Arab is the new black. And when I first heard that, I was like, yes, we're cool. You see white kids acting Arab with their friends. And I'm going, what up, Mustapha (ph)? Where my Arabs at? Arab, please. 

Nov 16, 2005 — What's so funny, I think, is that we are using our sense of humor to try to dispel stereotypes and diffuse tension. It's something you have to do in this world. Even myself, I look pretty White, but I am Arab-American. And the littlest things happen. I'm paying for a credit card. This is a true story. The man picks up my credit card. Looks at me and becomes hostile. "Hey, buddy, what kind of name is this?" pointing at my name. And I say, Arab. He's right in my face. "What does this mean?" I say, well, "Translate to English it means peaceful, friendly Arab." 

Nov 16, 2005 — Love in Las Vegas is a comedic piece that has elements of absurdity, black comedy and farce all wrapped into a short and sweet "One Act". It is about a "secretly pregnant" Arab-American stripper who marries a "secretly gay" Lebanese man on a whim. Jana Zenadeen, the Lebanese-American actress and writer started the festival on Nov. 13 with "Love in Las Vegas". Jana acted as the bride and Ryan Shrime as the groom. 

Nov 16, 2005 — A comedy festival in Manhattan is working to change the image of Arab culture. In the past two years the Arab-American Comedy Festival has doubled in size. The festival, which kicked off yesterday, is nearly sold out. "There are a lot of misconceptions out there," said one Arab actor. "And I feel like in the wake of 9/11 the whole community came together to try to dispel those." "Definitely elevates the image of the Arab-American community and the Arabs at large," added another Arab actor. The event's co-founders say it began as a way for comedians to get rid of stereotypes, by making fun of themselves before others could.  

Nov 13, 2005 — This article was picked up by the Chicago Tribune (IL), Vancouver Sun (Canada), Santa Fe New Mexican (NM), WBNC (NY), Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (WI), Canada.com, CTV (Canada), Indianapolis Star (IN), Boston Globe (MA), Herald News Daily (ND), Houston Chronicle (TX), National Post (Canada), Daily Star (Lebanon), Boonville Daily News (MO), Wyoming News (WY), Ceres Courier (CA), Philadelphia Daily News (PA), Washington Times (DC), Daily Texan (TX), Mexico Ledger (MO), Canton Daily Ledger (IL), Carthage Press (MO), Durant Daily Democrat (OK), CHECK TV News (Canada), Montreal Gazette (Canada), Edmonton Journal (Canada), Macleans (Canada), StarPhoenix (Canada), CJAD (Canada), Ottawa Citizen (Canada), and the Portervill Recorder (CA). 

Jan 18, 2005 — Servant of Allah. "Not a good last name to have right now!" joked Dean Obeidallah of the literal translation of his Arabic surname. It's a good line for instant laughs during his comic stylings on stage. Obeidallah, a Palestinian-Sicilian Catholic who grew up in Paramus and Lodi, said working within mainstream culture could help improve the tainted public image of Arab-Americans. 

Oct 17, 2004 —
"He says, 'El Kay-ee-da.' It went from a terrorist group to a Spanish restaurant." -- Comic Dean Obeidallah at the New York Arab-American Comedy Festival on Tuesday, on President Bush's pronunciation of Al Qaeda.
 

Oct 14, 2004 — Tuesday night, a select group of highly skilled Arab-Americans attacked President Bush. Using weapons of mass deconstruction - wit, humor, parody, impersonation and satire - standup comics at the New York Arab-American Comedy Festival unleashed an arsenal of jokes and criticism, taking apart the President one piece at a time. 

Oct 11, 2004 — NEW YORK CITY - Dancing Palestinian dobke is easy, says Imad, a cousin of the bride on the night before her wedding to a non-Arab. All you do is hold your hands above your head and twist them like you're screwing in a light bulb. This kind of cultural translation ran throughout the first night of the Arab-American Comedy Festival, as Arab-American playwrights and comedians carved out room for their experiences in an American cultural landscape where they are often unseen. 

Oct 10, 2004 — Zayid slaps away stereotypes with every giggle and guffaw. And she's giving other entertainers of Middle Eastern descent the chance to do the same at the New York Arab-American Comedy Festival, which she co-founded last year with Dean Obeidallah, a fellow comedian and friend. The inaugural event sold out, leading to a monthly radio show on WBAI (99.5 FM) for Zayid and Obeidallah. This year, the festival expands to four nights, starting today. It's a celebration of humor through original plays, stand-up sketches and film. 

Oct 8, 2004 — More than 50 Arab-American comics, actors, playwrights and filmmakers will perform from Sunday through Wednesday.... Dean Obeidallah, who is half-Palestinian and half-Italian and from Paramus, thought up the idea for the festival with Maysoon Zayid. The two had been getting a lot of media coverage, and they wanted to share their exposure. 

Dec 11, 2003 — November saw New Yorkers introduced to the fabulously outrageous talk-show hosts of Beirut's newest TV sensation, "Live! With Pascale and Chantal." Pascale, a former Miss Lebanon, is a tall, longhaired brunette who likes to expose her trim figure by wearing bright, skin-revealing tops and bell-bottoms. Chantal, who aspires to be a serious journalist, favors the flirty-yet-professional Ally McBeal look that entails short-skirt suits and heels. The two women greet their guests with "Ca va?" and address their callers as "Cheri(e)." When not competing for the attention of their participants, they spew dangerous advice about topics such as sex and diet. But don't bother searching your TV guides for the date and time of the show because it doesn't actually exist. Pascale and Chantal are the alter egos of the real-life duo of Leila Gazale and Jana Zenadeen, characters expressly created for New York's first Arab-American comedy festival that took place last month. 

Nov 18, 2003 — It was only a matter of time before Arabs learned what America's black and Jewish comics have known for years: Stand-up is always deadlier backed by the use of stereotype... The last three years have seen a blossoming of Arab comedy shows, and the second night of this festival shows off this effort; Dean Obeidallah, Maysoon Zayid, and Nasry Malak are among the new wave's sharpest wits, boasting appearances on network television and Comedy Central.